China: Earthquake - OCHA-06: 21-May-08

OCHA Situation Report No. 6 China: Earthquake 21 May 2008

Source: UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs NOTE: This report is based on information received from the office of the United Nations Resident Coordinator (UNRC) in China, UN partners, and the media. Key Summary - Tents are urgently needed and have been requested as a high priority by the Government of China. More than 200,000 tents are needed. - Donors are encouraged to report their contributions, including in-kind contributions, to OCHA's Financial Tracking System (FTS), http://ocha.unog.ch/fts2/. Situation 1. On 12 May 2008 a major earthquake measuring 7.9 on the Richter Scale struck Wenchuan County, Aba Prefecture some 92 km northwest of Chengdu city, the capital of Sichuan Province. The earthquake took place at 14:48 Beijing time and affected 434 counties in 10 provinces and municipalities. The worst affected areas are central and northern Sichuan (Aba Prefecture); Mianyang; Deyang; Guangyuan; Ya'an; Chengdu; Longnan (Gansu Province); Hanzhong and Baoji (Shaanxi Province). 2. According to official statistics, the confirmed number of dead is 40,075 people (a total of 39,577 people confirmed dead in Sichuan Province alone). An additional 247,645 people are injured and 32,361 people missing. The Government of China expects the death toll to surpass 50,000 and an estimated 5.7 million have been evacuated as of 16 May. An estimated 80 percent of the dead have been buried or cremated. 3. Around 159 aftershocks measuring above 4 on the Richter Scale have been detected according to the China Seismological Bureau. An estimated 5.36 million buildings have collapsed, and more than 21 million buildings are damaged in the earthquake-affected areas. Needs 4. For the first time since 1998, the Government of China is actively welcoming assistance from the international community. During a press conference, Mr. Jian Li, the Vice Minister for Civil Affairs stated that tents are the highest priority need and has appealed for international assistance. Additionally, food, drinking water, and psychological assistance for earthquake victims and relatives were also reiterated by the State Council, according to Chinese media reports. 5. The Government of China has urgently requested the following medicines and medical equipment needed for relief efforts. However, all medicines, medical equipment, and disinfection products should have prior registration in China: - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - Epidemic Prevention Drinking Water Safety Food Safety - FENDONA (alpha- - Chlorine - ATP flourescence Cypermethrin) disinfection tablets testing instruments - Stratagem - Large drinking - Rapid food safety (Flocoumafen) water treatment units testing instruments - Mobile sprayer - Folding drinking - Rapid micro-organism water containers testing instruments - Disposable - Environment-friendly - Thermograph for protective clothing mobile toilets measuring food surface/center temperature - Protective - Residual chlorine - Ultraviolet ray spectacles detecting instruments lumeter - Protective - Residual cholorine facial mask colorimetric boxes - Acid-resistant - Chlorine testing gloves paper - Chemical-proof - Rapid water quality rubber shoes testing instruments - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - Attachments: http://www.reliefweb.int/rw/rwb.nsf/retrieveattachments?openagent&docid=8F1D41455822D44F492574500002DC68&file=Full_Report.pdf - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - Appropriate Donations for International Disaster/Humanitarian Needs - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - Center for International web: www.cidi.org Disaster Information listserv: www.cidi.org/listsub.htm guidelines: www.cidi.org/donate.htm - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - China: Earthquake www.cidi.org/incident/chnqak-08e